Unexpected Development
by Morrigayn DeWyvern
Summary: Smokescreen gets turned into a sparkling as a result of a malfunction of the Omega Key he carries within. Giftfic for Dragonrider10. The cover art was developed by Gonshyk for this story. I have posted it with her permission. For a better look at the pic go to gonshykdotdeviantartdotcom/#/d5n0s7u (remove the dot and replace with .)
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I am suffering from major writer's block with my other works so I am writing this to try to get the juices flowing. Giftfic for Dragonrider10. Part of my _Cultural Confusion AU_ after _Through the Glass_ and _Validation_ but before _Weaning._ I will rework Weaning to include Smokescreen. No Smut. Loosely based off "_Inside Job." _My spin on sparkling from a relic or device. _

Smokescreen X Optimus Prime

Knock Out laughed when Smokescreen jerked as he moved his rotary blade close to Smokescreen's chassis. "Made ya squirm didn't I!" Knock Out chuckled as the blade spun to a slow halt.

Knock Out would have liked to tease and torment the young mech longer, but Megatron put a halt to his antics by barking for Knock Out to hurry up. Knock Out activated the phase shifter and dove into the internals of Smokescreen.

"Get your hand out of my gears!" Smokescreen yelled.

Knock Out chuckled and continued to root around until his hand gripped tightly around the top of the relic. Knock Out began to pull the relic from Smokescreen's body when it got caught on something within the mech. Knock Out shook it to get it to try to get it loose. The relic would not give. Knock Out was trying to untangle the caught device when Megatron bellowed for him to hurry up. Knock Out growled and yanked hard. He felt something small on the relic move downward as a brilliant blast of light was emitted. Knock Out instinctually covered his optics.

Megatron yelled from across the room as crouched down to avoid the light, "What in Unicron's damned pit are you doing? If you have damaged that relic in any way, I beat you to within an inch of your life, Knock Out."

Knock Out removed his shaking hands from his faceplates belatedly noticing he still was holding the relic. He wasn't dead, Knock Out thought gratefully. He looked over at where Smokescreen was and his lip plates fell open. "Primus fragging Unicron in the Pit!" Knock Out screeched in panic.

Megatron decided to investigate and roughly pushed Knock Out off to the side. Megatron took one look at the scene and began to laugh uproariously. Where the smart mouthed Autobot, Smokescreen, once lay now was a small sparkling clinging to the stasis cuffs as to not fall off of the inclined berth. Its large, blue optics blinking uncertainly and looking around timidly. The oversized door wings of the sparkling fluttered in trepidation. It squeaked and chirred at the malignant laugh of the large, scary looking mech.

Megatron reached down and picked the sparkling up by his door wings ignoring its wails and chirrs of pain. "Well…well…that was certainly unexpected…not so big and brave now are you, Smokescreen?" Megatron shook the small sparkling harshly. Smokescreen screamed in panic and pain. His waste tanks let go as a result. Megatron snarled as his hand and arm was coated in filth. "Gah, what a loathsome creature….dispose of it, Knock Out."

Megatron went to hand the sparkling to Knock Out who backed away. "I am not touching that disgusting thing, Lord Megatron." Knock Out shuddered at the idea of sparkling waste tainting his pristine plates and finish.

Megatron laughed as he dropped the sparkling on the floor, and Smokescreen began to sob and click as he curled into a small ball. Megatron kicked Smokescreen and sent him flying into a corner of the room.

"Knock Out…you are insufferable. Give me the relic and get rid of that nuisance." Megatron shook his hand and sent waste flying about in drops. Knock Out jumped, cursed and scampered out of the way. Megatron held his other hand out expectantly.

Knock Out dropped the relic into his master's hand. Megatron then turned and stalked away with the relic. "I will need to talk to Soundwave about this relic."

Knock Out looked around and found the mewling sparkling in the corner. He took a long instrument with a clamp usually used for surgery and grappled Smokescreen by the ped and lifted him up. Smokescreen's optics and cheek plates were covered in tears of coolant. His thighs were covered in his own waste. Smokescreen's wings were pierced through and leaking energon from Megatron's claws. The little thing's EM fields were oscillating in pain and fear. Smokescreen tried to extend his EM field to Knock Out looking for comfort in any form. Knock Out shuddered at the touch of the thing's EM field and grimaced. Knock Out clamped his EM field down harshly which caused the small sparkling to wail and flail about.

"I am not your Carrier or Sire, runt." Knock Out spat. He walked to the garbage chute and unceremoniously dropped the creature into the chute and listened with pleasure at the shrill shrieks and chirps as the sparkling disappeared into the Nemesis' trash receptacle.

Knock Out quickly forgot about the sparkling as he made his way to his personal wash rack. He had to make sure none of that foul thing's waste got on him as well as rebuff his finish. He had gotten a bit scratched.

Later that evening, Megatron gave the orders to move the Nemesis from a low, geocentric orbit around Earth to a high, selenocentric orbit around the planet's moon. The Nemesis needed to lighten its ballast and weight to move to a higher orbit. Megatron ordered the waste receptacles dumped onto the desert. The lower doors on the hull of the Nemesis opened and millions of tons of various sorts of debris that could not be recycled tumbled from the Nemesis to heavily blanket the Nevada desert. The Nemesis slowly made its way into higher orbit.

At the Autobot base, Ratchet was nervously watching the monitors desperately hoping for a life signal of Smokescreen. He had been practically glued to the screen after the young mech had been taken captive by the Decepticons.

Suddenly, Smokescreen's life signal popped up on the screen. "Optimus, I have located Smokescreen's life signal." Ratchet yelled immediately. "I can't get a definite lock though. Something is interfering with the signal."

"Open a ground bridge at those coordinates. Autobots, roll out!" Optimus commanded as he transformed and led the charge through the ground bridge. Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee followed. The ground bridge winked out in an instant.

The small team found themselves amidst a huge trash heap flowing over acres of land and several feet deep. A close examination found that the debris was primarily Cybertronian in nature with some organic detritus mixed.

Arcee pursed her lip plates in thought, "Not good, Optimus. He must be pretty bad off for the 'Cons to toss him out with the garbage…not even recycle him."

Bulkhead groaned at that observation. Bumblebee chirped and covered his optics with his hands. Optimus' optics looked grave. "We will find out lost comrade. Split up and look for Smokescreen."

Team Prime split up and began to sift through the detritus looking for their lost comrade. The debris had plenty of materials in it to make it hard to pinpoint the life signal of Smokescreen. Team Prime slowly moved their way through the morass of filth trying to find their lost comrade.

Optimus was desperate to get his team member back. The young, brash mech was proving to be a quick study and Optimus had a soft spot for Smokescreen as he also had worked with Alpha Trion. Optimus flared his EM field as wide as it would go and called for Smokescreen both on the internal comm. and out loud. Optimus gasped when he felt Smokescreen's weak EM field.

Optimus yelled, "I found him!" Optimus made long strides to the point where he felt the EM field and knelt down to rummage through the garbage. His hands froze and his optics widened to ridiculous sizes. Underneath a large sheet of scrap plastic was a half dead sparkling with Smokescreen's EM field and color scheme down to miniature 38s on his oversized door wings. Optimus gently picked up Smokescreen and cradled the sparkling to his chest over his spark beat. Optimus rose and turned to face his comrades as they skidded to a halt.

"Where's Smokey?" Bulkhead asked confused as he didn't see Smokescreen anywhere. The others looked on expectantly.

Without a word, Optimus gently opened his hands to reveal the small, wounded sparkling in his hands.

Bumblebee buzzed in confusion.

"I don't know, Bumblebee, what happened to Smokescreen, but he is injured and requires assistance. Ratchet, open a ground bridge. We have found Smokescreen." Optimus answered Bee and opened the line to Ratchet. Optimus hurried through the ground bridge followed by his small team.


	2. Chapter 2

Ratchet watched Optimus charge through the open ground bridge followed by Arcee, Bulkhead and then Bumblebee. He did not see Smokescreen at all.

"Where's Smokescreen?" Ratchet asked in a very perplexed tone. His optics glanced from one 'Bot to the others

Optimus came to a halt in front of Ratchet and gently opened his clasp hands. Inside, Ratchet could see a filthy, tiny sparkling with Smokescreen's markings and oversized door wings lying limply in Optimus' hands. Ratchet tumbled backward and yelled, "What in the Pit is that?"

Optimus gently cradled the sparkling to his chest plates, "That is Smokescreen…"

Ratchet shook his helm and started to run scans looking for a mistake in Optimus' proclamation. The CNA scan as well as at the spark signature were Smokescreen's unique bio-read. Ratchet had to reboot his optics and run the scans twice before he would believe what he was seeing.

"How…how…" Ratchet stuttered in stupefied shock.

Optimus shrugged, "I don't know. I found him like this in a field of garbage that was dropped from the Nemesis."

Ratchet snarled, "Fraggin' 'Cons doing that to a sparkling!" Ratchet shifted into full medic mode. "Bring Smokescreen to the med bay." Ratchet barked at the Prime as he turned toward the med bay.

Optimus silently followed with Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee not far behind. All of them were curious and confused all at once. Once in the medbay, Ratchet began to bark orders to everyone.

"Prime hold that sparkling to your spark to warm him up…the little mech is about frozen. Arcee, get a warm bath and sponges to clean that sparkling. Bulkhead, go over to the cabinet and get me some towels and warming blankets. Bee, go over to the first aid supplies and bring me a medkit."

Each of the Autobots jumped to do their assigned task. Optimus opened his chest plates revealing the brilliant spark of a Prime nestled in its crystalline spark chamber. Framing his chamber was the intricate circuitry of the Matrix of Leadership. To the left and right of the spark and Matrix housing were feeding nubs at the end of flaccid pouches for the sustaining of sparklings and younglings. Inside of his chest plates, the protoform was thick and lush with vascular tissues and energon lines. The dense, soft material opened to a sphincter on each plate leading into a pouch for carrying sparklings in warmth and comfort.

Optimus gently maneuvered Smokescreen into his chest cavity to lay him against his spark. His EM field instinctually flared to cover the sparkling. Smokescreen did not wake, but Optimus could feel the first tendrils of warmth making their way into the sparkling's frame.

Arcee filled a basin with warm water and added soap to it. She then filled another basin with clean water for rinsing. When they were full, she found the sterile sponges and scooped them up to take with her. Very gently, as not to spill the bath, she walked gingerly over to Ratchet and Optimus. Ratchet grabbed the basins of water and soap from Arcee sloshing some of it over his arms and hands. He set both of them down on the berth.

"Wash him, 'Cee, as gently as you can." Ratchet commanded turning back to scans for injuries.

Arcee dipped a sponge into the warm water and began to gently wash the filth from the sparkling's thighs rinsing the sponge in the pure water. With infinite gentleness, Arcee gently cleansed the small sparkling. She gently removed bits and pieces of trash from his seams along his back and droopy door wings. With a new sponge, she gently cleaned the spilt energon from the puncture wounds on the door wings.

"Turn him over, Optimus." Arcee said quietly.

Optimus very gently turned Smokescreen over and rested the sparkling's back and door wings against his spark. Smokescreen's helm lolled to one side. His small lip plates barely open. Arcee proceeded to wash the little one's body starting at his tear stained face and slowly working down the unconscious sparkling's body.

As Arcee was finishing up with the careful wash, Bulkhead lumbered over with a mound of towels and warming blankets. Bulkhead didn't know exactly what Ratchet had wanted so he had grabbed a bunch of every type of towel and blanket in the closet. Bulkhead's optics barely peeped over the large heap of towels and blankets he was carrying. He set the heap down on the berth and gave Optimus and Arcee a small smile. Bulkhead made his way to the edge of the room to wait and see if he was needed. Bulkhead did not want to be underfoot and gain the wrath of the Hatchet for being a nuisance.

Arcee gave him a grateful smile in return, "Thanks, Bulk."

Arcee took a towel and began to slowly dry Smokescreen. She brushed the soft toweling into every seam, nook and cranny she could reach. Optimus turned the sparkling over, and Arcee proceeded to dry his backsides and door wings. Arcee then reached over and pulled a warming blanket from off of the pile. Arcee motioned to Prime. Optimus took the blanket and with practiced ease, swaddled the small sparkling well leaving the wounded door wings free for Ratchet to work on. Optimus maneuvered the small sparkling back against his spark chamber and gently caressed Smokescreen's back.

Ratchet turned back to scanning the little one for wounds. He found that Smokescreen's wings were punctured through. Ratchet cursed and snarled in rage. How could someone hurt a sparkling in such a way? Wings were the most delicate and sensitive appendages on those frame types who developed them. Ratchet was grateful that none of the veins or arteries for carrying energon had been breached, or major nervous circuitry had been injured. Arcee's cleaning had dislodged some of the detritus stuck to the wounds as well as the scab. They were leaking again, but none of them were gushing fluids. He made note that the joints and hinges at the poor thing's back were stressed. While the wounds were superficial and painful, they were not serious. He was grateful the little one was not aware. Smokescreen's systems had shut down the cold and pain.

Bumblebee had found the medkit quickly and had been standing next to the berth there for some time waiting. He knew not to disturb his Carrier when he was working. Ratchet would signal when he needed something. He watched his Sire cradle Smokescreen against his spark. He saw Arcee clean the sparkling and Bulkhead bring what seemed like every towel and blanket in the cabinet to the berth. Ratchet ran sterilizing scans over the wings and motioned for Bumblebee to hand him the medkit. Ratchet opened the kit and began to dig through its contents. He pulled out sealant and pain reliever gels and mixed the two into slurry. He gently applied the mix into and on the punctures. He passed a mild laser to cause the mix to harden. Ratchet then applied the pain relieving gel to the stressed hinges and joints. Ratchet sighed and leaned back and did a final scan of his work. The little mechling was warming and his systems were slowly onlining.

"Smokescreen will be fine, Optimus. He'll be waking soon." Ratchet said wearily as the rush from working in medic mode began to recede.

Optimus smiled, "That is wonderful news, Old Friend. Any idea as to how Smokescreen reverted to a sparkling?"

Ratchet shook his helm in the negative. "There are peculiar energy signatures in his bio-read, but I am not sure what they mean. Smokescreen is sound and healthy as far as I can tell…I don't know if this is permanent or if it will reverse itself…or how much he knows or remembers…sparkling processors and memory banks are small and very finite."

Optimus nodded and gently caressed the small mechling's door wings. Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee crowded up close to the Prime to look at the first sparkling seen since Bumblebee had arrived at the beginning of the war. Arcee had a small smile on her faceplates and a rare look of tenderness in her optics. Bulkhead looked confused and unsure. Bumblebee was fascinated. He reached out a finger to touch the slumbering sparkling in his Sire's hands and pulled back uncertainly.

Optimus noticed the yearning in his son's optics and motioned to Bumblebee. "You can touch him, son. Your Carrier and I are the only ones capable of bonding and taking care of Smokescreen in his current state." Optimus wanted his adopted son to understand he now had a brother.

Bumblebee gave a sparkling chirp of affirmation of his Sire's words and tentatively reached out to touch Smokescreen. He was scared of hurting the small sparkling and not sure how he felt about having an adopted brother. Bumblebee was amazed at the smooth, soft, supple texture of the sparkling's protoform and armor. He gently caressed Smokescreen's helm and back. Bumblebee's spark warmed to the small, broken sparkling bereft of parents and love. He too had been found lost, cold and alone too many vorns ago. He could not begrudge Smokescreen his parent's love and attention. Bumblebee continued to gently pet the mechling.

Soon, Smokescreen's wings began to make small movements as he warmed and came back to consciousness. He felt warm and he didn't hurt. Furthermore, Smokescreen felt completely covered in gentle and loving EM fields. Memories of the red eyes and being hurt were fresh and he instinctually tried to curl up and whimpered. A gentle baritone voice cooed at him. Smokescreen felt a warm hand gently cup his body and lift him. Curiosity overcame the sparkling, and he opened his wide, blue optics to a silver face that was vaguely familiar smiling at him with love shining in his optics. Smokescreen chirped as imprinting and bonding protocols onlined in his processor and spark. His little EM field flared to resonate and sync with the large mech and his optics fiercely traced the faceplates of the only Carrier he would ever know and love.

Smokescreen cooed and chirped an affirmation of his love for Optimus. Optimus smiled and rubbed his face plates into the small sparkling's swaddled abdomen. Smokescreen giggled at the movement. Optimus' field registered the young one's hunger and the feeding lines filled with energon fit for a very small sparkling with injuries. Smokescreen's optics immediately went to the lines, held his stubby hands out and he whined. Optimus gently unswaddled Smokescreen and maneuvered him into a waiting sparkling pouch and gently closed his chest plates so the young one could easily latch and feed as well as recharge. Optimus could feel Smokescreen latch and feed furiously. His tiny fuel tank was soon full. In the way of all young, Smokescreen voided his waste tank and the membranes of the sparkling pouch quickly absorbed the waste and began to break it down and absorb it into Optimus' lines for disposal through his own elimination system.

Optimus looked at the others with awe, "He bonded to me. I am his Carrier." The feeling was intense and nothing like anything he had experienced before. He was bonded to Bumblebee as his Sire as Ratchet was his Carrier. He had been in awe when Bumblebee had bonded to him, but this feeling was very different.

Ratchet smiled at Optimus' overwhelmed expression. "Nothing like it, is there? I'll bond with him as Sire tomorrow if he'll take me."

Optimus just nodded. Ratchet began to shoo Arcee and Bulkhead out. "It's time for recharge. We'll talk more about things tomorrow."

After the two left, Ratchet turned to Bumblebee who looked like he was trying not to cry. Ratchet smiled and flared his EM field. Bumblebee's EM field was a mixture of awe and insecurity. Ratchet pulled the youngling into a strong embrace and whispered to him "Another child never displaces the first in a parent's spark." He kissed his oldest child's helm and caressed his horns. "Let's go recharge."

Bumblebee nodded into Ratchet's embrace. As he was pulling away from his Carrier, his Sire enveloped him in a huge hug. "My son, I will always love you." Optimus rumbled in his deep baritone. Bumblebee felt the deep affirmation in his Sire's field and relaxed completely trusting his Carrier and Sire's love.

Quietly, the small family, plus one unexpected addition, made their way to their respective recharge rooms.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: For those who follow my horror and angst stories, no my account has not been hacked nor have I suffered a mental breakdown. I decided to spread my writing wings by turning my hand at something less traumatic. A big shout-out and thank you to Speedstreek360 for assistance on this story. I rarely do much writing that is wholly cute or fluffy in nature. __Night Terrors__ is the only thing I have written that comes to mind that is cute and mild. Speedstreek has been invaluable in helping me brainstorm and develop ideas for a cute story for Smokescreen as a sparkling. There will be no further angst or trauma in this story (sparkling abuse, etc.) except for a few 'Cons getting their afts kicked later. A lot of love and cuddles. _

Optimus had a long night that was not very restful. Smokescreen was restless like all small sparklings. He woke at regular intervals from recharge to suckle, stretch and generally roll around in the sparkling pouch. Smokescreen had his recharge and online cycles mixed up. Optimus had gratefully forgotten those long joors of no recharge from Bumblebee's sparkling vorns.

Optimus finally conceded defeat late in the night. He opened his chest plates and gently scooped a very awake Smokescreen from the sparkling pouch in his chest plate and held the small sparkling in his hands at optic level. He was met with brilliant blue optics twinkling full of love. Smokescreen smiled widely, chirped and waved his hands at Optimus. His oversized door wings flapped haphazardly around. Optimus gently poked the sparkling in the belly causing Smokescreen to grasp at the digit and squeal in delight. Smokescreen began to chew and mouth at Optimus' digit tip.

"My son, I am exhausted and need rest." Optimus tried to sound stern, but lost himself to the giggles and cheer of the vibrant sparkling. With a sigh, he closed his chest plates. Smokescreen was definitely not in the mood to be quiet or rest. He carefully cradled the sparkling to his chest armor and rose from his berth. He made his way through the dark room to the door.

Smokescreen was delighted when Optimus stepped through the door and he craned his neck struts to look around at the dimly lit hallway. Optimus made his way to med bay to grab a cube of fortified energon. Smokescreen had an appetite and was quickly depleting the Prime of energon and vital nutrients. Bumblebee was almost weaned or Optimus would need a lot more.

Optimus entered the brightly lit medbay and found Ratchet working on repairs of a tool that accidentally found its way under Bulkhead's peds. Ratchet turned around at the sound of ped steps entering the bay. A small smile quirked his lip plates at the apparently tired Prime and the wiggling sparkling.

"Smokescreen is a night owl, as humans say?" Ratchet asked as he put the tool down and made his way over to Optimus.

Optimus nodded wearily. "He has been a lot more active during a recharge cycle than Bumblebee ever was."

Smokescreen was peering at Ratchet over the Prime's hands. His faceplates showed curiosity. Ratchet noticed and reached a digit out for the little 'bot to touch. Smokescreen tentatively reached out to touch Ratchet's digit. Ratchet then slowly touched the small sparkling's helm and gave him a gentle caress. Smokescreen leaned into the touch and kept looking at Ratchet in his optics. Smokescreen wanted to trust these bots who had blue optics and didn't hurt him like the ones with red optics. Ratchet begin to chirr and click at Smokescreen like he did when Bumblebee was a sparkling. The little sparkling began to rock back and forth on his aft and reached for Ratchet. Ratchet made a quick glance at Prime. New Carriers could be very protective of their young. Optimus smiled and passed Smokescreen to Ratchet.

"Here's your chance to see if he'll form a Sire Bond with you, Old Friend. I am going to lie down on a med-berth and rest." Optimus made his way to the berth and offlined his optics. While he seemed to be relaxed, Ratchet could feel the alertness in the Prime's EM field that he kept extended to its widest so Smokescreen would feel the love and safety of his adopted Carrier.

Ratchet flared his EM field to cover the little sparkling as he opened his chest plates. He wanted the little one to see feeding nubs and a spark in conjunction with the EM field to help the mechling's inherent protocols to online. Ratchet's feeding lines filled with sparkling energon in response to the little one's inquisitive EM flares. Ratchet then slowly put the small sparkling against his spark casing. Smokescreen chirped and rubbed his faceplates into the crystal covering. He then looked back up at Ratchet as he began to bond with the old medic. Smokescreen's optics traced the faceplates of Ratchet and began to sync his EM field to match with the medic's. Ratchet gave a very self-satisfied ventilation as the little fellow began to root for a feeding nub.

"He accepted me, Optimus." Ratchet said with a wide smile. He was too old to Carry sparklings and since his bond mates were far away and neither were of the inclination to Carry, Ratchet had figured Bumblebee would be his only child. It had hurt the stoic mech more than he let anyone know. He wanted more sparklings. It was healing to his old spark, to have another sparkling accept him as a parent.

"I had no doubts, Ratchet. I am going to recharge now." Optimus said as he turned over to his side and immediately powered down.

Ratchet scowled and whispered, "Cheat!" even as he maneuvered the sparkling into a pouch in his chest plates. He left the plates open so Smokescreen, who was not sleepy in the least, could look around and vocalize while Ratchet went back to work repairing Bulkhead's handiwork.

Smokescreen soon had his fill of energon and came off the feeding nub. He looked down at what his Sire was working on and began to chirp and click in wonder. Ratchet continued to work on the repairs, but every so often Ratchet would chirp and click back at the sparkling.

Soon the repairs were finished, and Ratchet stretched his back struts out. Smokescreen had twisted around in the sparkling pouch until he was facing the faceplates of his Sire. Ratchet smile wearily down at the young mechling.

"You, young mech, are going to recharge now. I am tired." Ratchet tried to poke the little one back into the pouch, but Smokescreen adamantly refused. He kept popping his helm back out and chirring in irritation at his Sire with narrowed blue optics.

Ratchet groaned. He slowly began to rock side to side as well as sing an ancient lullaby in Cybertronian. Ratchet prayed to Primus it would work. Ratchet would peek down into half opened plates from time to time. He could see the small mechling fighting recharge. His optics would begin to power down then Smokescreen would blink them and try opening them. As recharge slowly crept up on the sparkling, he tucked his helm into the pouch and curled up. Soon his ventilations were deep and easy. Ratchet gently closed his chest plates.

Relieved, Ratchet climbed into a med-berth close to Optimus. While it was not as comfortable as his own berth, he knew Smokescreen would be much more comfortable and secure with both of his parents' EM fields intermingled with his own. Ratchet powered down into recharge.


	4. Chapter 4

Bumblebee woke at his usual time for his morning feed with his Sire. He rose to find Optimus; however, his recharge room was empty. He then turned to see if he was with Ratchet and Smokescreen. Ratchet's room was also empty. A passing thought flitted through the processor of the hungry youngling, and he decided to check in the med bay.

He found his Sire in deep recharge on his side in a med berth. Ratchet also lay in recharge on a berth, but Bumblebee could hear the sparkling chirring and kicking within Ratchet. He sounded awake and upset that he was being ignored. Bumblebee grinned at the clicks and chitters emitted from Ratchet's chest. Bumblebee went over to his Carrier and extended his EM field and ran a finger down Ratchet's chest plates. The plates popped open automatically to the stimulus. Ratchet roused slightly at movements.

"Uh…what?" Ratchet opened his weary optics to the gentle optics of his oldest son.

Bumblebee buzzed at Ratchet as he gently scooped Smokescreen from his Carrier's pouch. "I'll take him with me to Sire. Rest, Carrier."

Ratchet smiled at Bumblebee. "Little fragger kept me up most of the night. Thanks." Ratchet immediately powered down back into deep recharge.

Bumblebee made his way back to Optimus. He gently cradled the small sparkling to his chest plates. The little fellow looked around as he was carried. His small processor made the connection with Bumblebee as sibling due to the similar EM signatures imprinted within the both of them. Smokescreen absently chewed and mouthed on Bumblebee's fingers as he looked about.

When they were close enough to Optimus that their EM fields mingled, Smokescreen began to chirp and wave his small hands at his Carrier and rock back and forth on his small aft. He was hungry and also just wanted to be close to Optimus Prime.

Optimus opened is optics and smiled indulgently at his two children. He could feel hunger in both of their EM fields. It was a peculiar feeling to have both feeding lines filling with very different types of energon in each one. Optimus opened his chest plates and motioned to Bee.

"Give him to me, my son."

Bumblebee handed over Smokescreen to Optimus. He eased his son into the left pouch and he quickly latched on and began to feed furiously. Bumblebee made himself comfortable on his Sire's right side, found his favorite nub and fed at a leisurely pace.

Optimus patted Smokescreen on his back. "Slow down little one or you will get bubbles in your tank." He came off of the nub and looked at his Carrier. He opened his lip plates to chirp but instead small bubbles of energon popped and ran down his face plates. He scrunched his small face and began to cry at the cramps in his fuel tank and the feeling of bubbles rumbling up his intakes.

Bumblebee grinned as Optimus gently maneuvered the small sparkling onto his fuel tanks in the palm of his hand and began to pat and massage the little fellow's back. In a few moments, a large belch was emitted from the tiny sparkling. He sighed as his fuel tank settled. Optimus eased the sparkling back into the pouch and let him feed.

He noticed Bumblebee's grin and gently tweaked a horn. "Don't laugh, young mech, you were many vorns old before you stopped getting bubbles in your fuel tank."

Bumblebee nodded and buzzed. "I know that is why I can laugh."

Bumblebee went back to his morning meal. Smokescreen finished his meal and began to look Bumblebee. Bumblebee began to look back at him. Soon, he lost interest in feeding and was caught up in vocalizing with Smokescreen.

Optimus gently pushed Bee off. "Alright, you two that's enough. I need to relieve Arcee from the monitors. Would you watch your younger brother for awhile…at least until Ratchet wakes?"

Bumblebee sat up. His door wings were high and vibrating in excitement. He chattered in excitement, "I can?"

Optimus was privately overjoyed at the ebullience of his oldest son for the new sparkling. "Yes, Bee, you may watch Smokescreen anytime you wish."

Bumblebee held out his hand expectantly and frowned when Optimus sat up and stood up. He silently followed his Sire. His EM flared in confusion.

"Let me show you something, Bee. When sparklings as young as Smokescreen fuel, the often will pass waste shortly thereafter. If he were in my or your Carrier's pouch, it would be absorbed and broke down by my systems. I am going to show you how to encourage him to pass waste and clean him."

Bumblebee buzzed a yuck at the idea. Optimus snorted, "You will be watching him for a few hours and he will need to pass waste. That too, is part of caretaking your little brother." He chided Bumblebee gently.

Bumblebee's wings drooped in admonishment, and he nodded. Optimus gently maneuvered the sparkling so that his knees were drawn up to his fuel tank with his small aft hanging over the edge of Optimus' hand. "Bumblebee, pass that small container and put it under him."

Bumblebee did as his Sire instructed. Optimus began to gently massage the small sparkling's lower back struts and aft. After a few moments, Smokescreen's waste conduit panel instinctually opened, and a small amount of waste was passed. Optimus took a soft cloth and wiped the aft of the sparkling. He then took both the waste cup and the soiled cloth and put them in the trash. He handed Smokescreen over to his brother.

"There. He should be okay for a while. If he gets restless and is not mouthing on his digits or yours in hunger or rubbing at his optics for rest, he probably needs to pass waste." Optimus said as he passed the small sparkling to Bee.

Bumblebee nodded at his Sire's instructions, tucked Smokescreen into the crook of his arm and turned to go to the Rec. Room. He was not scheduled for patrol or monitor duty till later. Smokescreen reached out to explore the frame of the bigger 'bot he was imprinted on as sibling. Bumblebee had just the right idea to keep Smokey occupied.

Optimus watched his two children leave the medbay. He turned to check on Ratchet. As suspected, Ratchet was deep in recharge. Optimus chuckled and left to relieve Arcee.

Ratchet woke many hours later and was completely refreshed. He jumped up once he realized the time. It was very late in the day. His feeding protocols had onlined while he was recharging and his feeding lines were painfully full for the small sparkling. He would start leaking soon if he did not feed Smokescreen. He had a moment of panic when he found himself alone in the med bay. He quickly shuffled out of the med bay in search of his smallest son and his Carrier.

He found Optimus at the monitors sans Smokescreen. He did not sense the sparkling's EM field enmeshed with his Carrier. Optimus turned at the noise and met optics with a nervous, fidgety Ratchet.

"Where is our son, Optimus?" Ratchet had to know their son was safe and sound. He was acting like a first time parent all over again.

Optimus grinned at Ratchet's behavior and replied, "He is with his older brother. Bee has brought him a few times to feed and has kept Smokescreen occupied while I watched the monitors and you rested, Old Friend. They are in the Rec. Room. Why do you go and get Smokescreen. It is almost time for Bumblebee's patrol."

Ratchet nodded and turned to leave. He shortly found himself in front of the Rec. Room. He could hear Bumblebee's chirps and Smokescreen's squeals, clicks and chirrs of happiness. He peeked in to see what all the noise was about.

Bumblebee was sitting on the floor cross limbed with Smokescreen in his lap. He held an Autobot sized controller to the gaming console. He had a race game up. Bumblebee had a controller sitting in front of Smokescreen who was happily pounding on keys and yanking on the joy sticks. The little car on screen spun out, fishtailed, crashed into walls and did flips. Each time the car performed or crashed, loud explosions and other sound effects were emitted. Smokescreen was crowing happily at the antics of the car. He weaved back and forth on his aft, and his door wings flopped up and down. Bumblebee also had a controller and was trying to race Smokescreen and winning miserably. Bee's humor at the situation was evident in his bright optics and quivering door wings. Ratchet was amazed that Smokescreen understood that the actions of the controller directly affected the car on the screen.

Ratchet cleared his vocalizer to get Bee's attention. "You have patrol soon."

Bee looked up at his Carrier. He made a sad sound and his door wings drooped. Smokescreen noticed Ratchet and threw himself forward. He began to crawl haphazardly toward his Sire chirping all the while. Ratchet's optics bout rolled out of his helm. The little fellow was stronger than yesterday and beginning to show age appropriate developments. Smokescreen lost his balance and fell face plates first. Before he could start to squall, Ratchet quickly scooped the small sparkling up and tossed him in the air and caught him.

Smokescreen crowed in delight and looked into the optics of his Sire with love. Ratchet's chest plates popped open at the touch of his son. His feeding lines let down energon profusely spraying the area and Smokescreen. He had waited too long to feed Smokescreen. Now he had too much for the small sparkling and caused a huge letdown.

"Scrap." Ratchet said embarrassed. Smokescreen didn't care that he was covered in sparkling energon. He reached out at the taut, swollen feeding lines in hunger. His glossa absently licked at the few drops on his lip plates. Ratchet maneuvered the small sparkling against a feeding line. Smokescreen latched hungrily. His brother was forgotten.

Ratchet noticed Bumblebee looked glum. He was having so much fun with his little brother now he had to go on patrol. Even worse, he had forgotten to fuel himself during the day playing with the sparkling. He was hungry.

"Come here, Bee. I have too much energon for Smokescreen. Fuel up and then go on patrol." Ratchet could sense his older son's EM field and knew his hunger. "Don't forget to fuel up next time, Bee."

Bee scrambled up off of the floor. Ratchet made himself comfortable on the Autobot sized sofa. Bee curled up with Ratchet and fed contentedly enjoying his Carrier and brother. The overfilled feeding line Bee latched on quickly began to empty and lull him as only his Carrier's body could.

Optimus was relieved by Bulkhead from the monitors. He went to find Ratchet and Smokescreen. Bee's signature was not on the monitors, and Optimus suspected Bee forgot patrol playing with the little sparkling. He made his way to the Rec. Room. He stopped and a rare, large smile of genuine pleasure graced his face plates. Ratchet was sitting on the couch with Smokescreen slumbering and feeding on one line. On the other, Bumblebee had too fallen into recharge. Ratchet had his children securely in his arms and too was deep in recharge. His helm drooped back to the sofa and his intakes rattled. Optimus shook his helm even as he took a picture with his HUD. He didn't have the spark to wake Bee for patrol. It had been an emotionally exhausting few days, and it had caught up with Bee. Ratchet was still exhausted from the long night, and Smokey just needed the typical rest of a sparkling.

Optimus turned to leave. He exited the main entrance of the base and transformed into his alt mode. He would take Bee's patrol today silently grateful to Primus for the strength of the bonds of his adopted family.


End file.
